Indicator for setting steam-engine valves



June 7, 1927.

S. E. MUSSLMAN INDICATOR FOR SETTING STEAM ENGTNE VALVES Filed June 8, l

'fwilimim; yall IIIllxlllllm UNM Patented lune 7, 1927.

UNITED STATES STANLEY B. MUSSELMAN, OF

NJICA'JIOR FOR SETTING Application filed .Tune B,

My object in the present invention is to devise means vfor indicating the position of the valve relative to the ports at any given timeand at any point in the stroke of the piston and also for obtaining a diagram re cording vthe points in the piston stroke at which the valve events, preadmission, cutoff, release5 and closure occur and also the Width of steam and exhaust port openings at any given position of the travel.

I attain my object by providing a drum rotatable to indicate the piston movement and by arranging a stylus for co-operation therewith adapted to be moved parallel to the axis of the drum to indicate valve travel. Means are also provided adapted to be to show the positions of the ports with which co-operate pointers movable with thc valve and adapted to be set to accord with the positions of the valve parts relative to one another'.

The device is hereinafter more fully described and is illustrated in the accompany ing drawings in which Fig. l is a side elevation of the device shown vin position on a locomotive engine;

Fig. 2 a plan view of the device partly in section;

Fig. 3 an end elevation of part of the same;

Fig. al. a sectional detail showing a method of adjusting the indicator blocks;

Fig. 5 a specimen diagram showing the various lines marked thereon.

In the drawings likey numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

Referring particularly to Fig. l, l is a cylinder of a locomotive engine and Q the piston. Superimposed on the cylinder is the valve chest 3 in which the piston valve fl, of ordinary type, is slidable. One end only of the valve is shown, and the port 5 at one end of the cylinder. It will be understood of course, that the valve and ports may be of any ordinary construction as regards details not shown.

My device is provided with a frame 7 provided with a cross bar 8 adapted to be bolted to the end of the valve chest when the head of the latter is removed. A sliding rod 9 is slidable longitudinally of the frame, preferably in axial alinement with the valve. rlhis rod is provided at one end with jaws l adaptedto embrace the nut- PATEN'l` QFFICE.

SARNIA, entriamo, CANADA.

sfrnaivrsnnenn v'ALvns.

1925. Serial No. 35,327.

usually found on the end of a valve. The jaws are provided with clamping screws 1l whereby they may be secured to the nut. The sliding rod thus moves syuchronouslv with the valve. L' r TQn the frame is journalled a drum l2. .this may be of the type commonly employed in recording mechanism, and will be provided with the usual means7 not shown, for securing a sheet of paper about its pe riphery. The drum is loose on the 'shaft 13, so that it may be .rotated freely by hand when necessary.

Adjacent one end of the drum is provided a sleeve le. on which is rotatably mounted a sleeve l provided with a knurled head 1G whereby it may be rotated. This sleeve is externally threaded to engage the threaded hub il of a pulley le. The end of the drinn and the pulley carry respectively the parts el a cone clutch 19. By screwing or unsere.wine` the sleeve 'l5 through the medium of its ltnurled head lll, the clutch may be engaged or disengaged as may be desired and the drum thus freed 'from or given a driven engagement with the pulley Over the pulley 18 is led a belt 2O which is carried round suitable guide pulleys 2l and secured by one end to the end of the 'piston 2 or any suitable part moving synchronously vwith the piston. A weight 22 secured to the other end of the belt serves to keep it taut. From this construction it follows that the drum will be rotated in one direction or the other in accordance with the movements of the piston.

rlhe sliding rod 9 serves as a stylus carrier, one or more styli being secured thereto. Each stylus comprises a spring-pressed member adapted to engage the surface of the drum7 which member is retractable in known manner. The sliding member is carried in a split clamp Q3 which may be adjusted longitudinally of the sliding rod. Usually two styli will be employed, one for me when the engine is operating in a forward direction and the other for use when the` engine is in reverse. From this construction it is evident that a diagram may be produced on the drum which reps resents the compounding` of the movements of the piston and the valve.

To give a visual indication of the positions of the ports and valves, I provide the following means. The frame 7 is provided with guide slots 24 in which are movable indicator' blocks. 25. which serve. as. port edge markers. The slots`l are rabheted as shown and the indicator blocks correspondingly rabbeted so that their upper surfaces are flush with the uppeir surface of the'- frame. Each block is provided with a threaded stem in which is screwedI a nut 26. The blocks .may thus be moved longitudinally of the to the. width ort the. ports. but. the distance.

between thepairs of port edge markers may for convenience be lessV than the distance.

between the ports. Thevalve is thenmoved tov a position exactly central. between. the4 two ports and by measurement the pointers 27 are then set tofbear the same relation to the port edgev markers that. theV edges ofi tl'ie'partsQQ oit the valve bear tothe edges ot thel ports; When the engine isturned over,

the exactv travel ot the valve relative to the.

ports can be seen. and rough adjustments in the. setting of the valve gear readily made.

A diagram. is necesary toy enable the necessary finaly adjustments tol be made and this diagram. is secured in. the following manner. ing connections in the manner hereinbetore described. The stylus, when. the valve is in the central. position` hereinbetore referred to. is suitablj,v located at about theA centre ot a sheet et paper positioned onv the drum and clamped in position on the.- rofl. 9' so that its relation to the valve becomes' a. tiXed epiantity.4 The drumis then rotatedV by hand. so that the stylus will score. aline af (shown in. Fig. 5). on. the. paper, which will', of course, be straightv when the diagram is re.- moved from the drum.

In a. similar manner aline I). is drawn. at.. each. side of the centre. line first. drawn. and separated from it by any amount. equal. to the steam la or steam clearancey representedv by @hb in Pig. L. This is done by sliding the rod 9 until theI pointer-2TY which repre.L sents the outer or admission edge of.' the ring' 29 is lined up witlrt-he port edge marker which marks the outer or admission.v edge. ot the. port it cooperates with. The drinn is then rotated as before. thef stylus marking. :r straight line 7i thereon..

The admission edge pointer on. eachV side is then. moved. to. line up with. the corre spending exhaustedge marker, and another line c is drawn. in. each side parallel. to. the' The drum is treed. from its driv-V last and separated by the width of the ports, the. width of the ports being represented by b-c in Fig'. 5. y

Often a valve has either exhaust lap or exhaust clearance. To unark -this lap or clearance thel pointers representing the inner or exhaust side Ot the ring 29 are lined up with tile corresponding marker which marks thev inner or exhaust side of the ports. If a Valve is line-on-line on the exhaust edges, the centre line; will. record.. the release and closures; andv exhaust. lines are not. required..

These parallel. liliesv drawn as described. term the. basis ot the diagrai'n. The stylus. can then. be retracted as provided tor. and the engine turned. over on. the rollers provided in they shops 'for this operation.

The exact travel` of' the valve relative to the ports can be. seenhy observing the, port. edge markers idf. point-ers. and. rough. adjustments ofl the valve gear. can. be made to correct the errors.

Next. place the piston at either extremeoff its stroke and then.. engage. the. drum` by means of' the clutch to. the driving pnliey. Then allow the stylus to engage with theV paper at the end et tlielatter corresponding with the pist-on position.

The valve at this time shouldI be displaced. from its: central position an amount. equal. to `one steam lap plus one lead and so the stylus will rest on. the paper at point di Fig. 5, a short distance, 1/I....1/8:,`.or so, beyond the lap line b in the space. ou. the paper rep-A resenting ther port.

Turning the engine over now results. in the compounding. et the valve. and piston movements producing a curve which records the. actual position of the valve relative to the ports at any point of the piston stroke and. return.,

Vherever the. curved. line intersectsthe straightV parallel lines indicates that an edge ot' the valve has registered with an edge et the. ports..

The diagram.. which is ellipiti'cal` when removed from the drum, can be placed on a drawing table and. trimmed up and: ultilized to yieldr the information it contains.

Thelength et" the. ellipse measured at rightangles to the centre line represents piston travel.. The Width of the ellipse measured parallel'. to the centre linel represents. val've travel. n

vIn this manner the exact piston position, when the valve events pre-admission, cuto,l release and' closure, occur, are recorded` and can quickly be tabulated into a complete valve report.

The duration. ef'cylinder events, such as prefadmi'ssion, admlssion, expansion, exhaust, andfcompression. can also be observed.

From the information thus obtained theY necessary deductions may be made to enable the. valve. gear to be properly set and lthe finer adjustments made which are so `essential to obtain a nicely balanced, smooth Working engine.

What I claim is:

l. ln an indicator for setting steam engine valves7 the combination of a frame adapted tor connection at the front end of the valve chest of a locomotive; a rotary drum mounted on said trame; means 4lor rotating the drum in synchronism with the movements oif the piston ot' the engine; a stylus carrier slid-able on the frame; means tor directly connecting the stylus carrier with the end of the valve in the valve chest or positive movement in either direction; and a stylus connected to the carrier adapted to co-operate with the drum.

2. In an indicator for setting steam engine valves7 the combination of a frame adapted 'for connection at the front end of the valve chest of a locomotive; a rotary drum mounted on said frame; means for rotating the drum in synclironism with the movements of the piston of the engine; a stylus carrier slidable on the frame; means for directly connecting the stylus carrier with the end of the valve in the valve chest for positive movement in either direction; and a stylus adjustable lengthwise of the carrier and adapted to co-operate with the drum.

3. ln an indicator for setting steam engine vaives, the combination o'il a trame adapted tor connection at the end of the valve chest ot a locomotive; indicator members adjustable longitudinally ot the 'frame to indicate port openings and positions; a rod slidable longitudinally of the frame; means for con-- necting the rod With the end ot the valve in the valve chest; pointers adjustable longitudinally of the rod adapted to be set to accord With the positions of the valve parts and to co-operate with the port indicatorto show lthe positions of the valves and ports at any point of the stroke of the valve; a drum rotatably mounted on the frame;

means for rotating the drum in synchronism with the movements ot the piston ot the engine; means for 'freeing the drum at will; and a stylus carried by the sliding rod aforesaid adapted to co-operate with the drum; the said port indicators and pointers serving to enable the stylus to be set to scribe datum lines on a sheet carried by the drum aforesaid when the latter is tree, the stylus being adapted to scribe a curve on the sheet i compounding the movements of the valve and piston rod when the drum is rotated in synchronism 'with the movements ot the said rod.

a. ln an indicator lor setting steam engine valves7 the combination or a frame; indicator members adjustable longitudinally or the frame to indicate port openings and positions; a rod slidable longitudinally of the frame; means tor operating said rod in synchronism with a valve; pointers adjustable longitudinally olf the rod adapted to be set to accord Vwith the positions of the valve parts and to cao-operate with the port indicators to show the positions oi the valve and ports at any point of the stroke of the valve; drum rotatably mounted on the trame; means for rotating the drum in synclironism with the movements of the piston of the engine; means for freeing the drum at will; and a stylus carried by the sliding rod aiforesaid adapted 'to (co-operate with the drum; the said port indicators and pointers serving to enable the stylus to be set to scribe datum lines on a sheet carried by the drum aforesaid when the latter is Afree7 the stylus being adapted to scribe a curve on the sheet compounding the movements of the valve and piston rod 'when the drum is rotated in synchronism with the movements of the said rod.

Signed at Sarniap Canada, this 21st day of May7 1925.

STANLEY E. MUSSELMAN. 

